Lioness in Waiting
by cwfanatic
Summary: During Alanna's vacation from her job she is determined to prove how important she is to Tortall please R&R! thanks!
1. Alanna

Disclaimer- I don't own Tortall or Alanna or any of the things you might find in this. yet. muahhahahaha!!  
  
A/N This takes place sometime after TRICKSTERS CHOICE ~ which I will read on Tuesday ~ so Alanna is around 40 and all of her children are off being adults. as if any kid of George would ever really grow up. anyway enjoy or not, PLEASE review my first fic!!  
  
Alanna the Lioness rolled over in bed, curling up to avoid the cold that was in the air around her. Usually her bedroom at Pirates Swoop was kept warm by the enormous fireplace that took up the whole of one wall. But Alanna had forgotten to build up the fire during the night, and now there was nothing left but cold embers.  
  
It wasn't entirely her fault, usually her husband George took care of it, but he was in Corus for a few days working on business. Alanna slowly climbed out of bed and then immediately hopped back in after stepping onto the icy stone floor. She hated cold with a passion; she always had, ever since she was a small girl in Trebond, before she was the first lady knight in over 100 years.  
  
Alanna thought back to the days when she was in training at the palace and shuddered. She was glad to be a knight, and she would do it again if she had to, but the years of deception were not fun. Alanna had to pretend she was a boy for eight years to receive her training. That meant that she couldn't ever swim, even in the hottest days of the summer.  
  
Only a very few people had known who she was, including the then "Prince" Jonathan and her best friend and now husband George, the former king of thieves. Alanna, wincing, got out of bed, and ran over to her dresser to get some socks. She wasn't used to this "being at home" deal. Normally she was the one off on "business" and George was at home. Of course her business was being the king's champion while George's was being the King's spy, but still she couldn't help feeling that the tables were turning, and she didn't like it at all.  
  
Alanna knew that it was her own idea to take this "vacation", it had seemed a good idea at the time. They had just wound up the war with Scanra and she felt that she needed some time off. But she hadn't thought that Jonathan would agree so readily. "Oh yes Alanna, we can manage, go take a few weeks off if that's what you want." Alanna knew it was silly of her, but she had rather fancied the King going on and on about how they simply couldn't spare her for mare than a few days without the kingdom collapsing, so to speak. Now she was feeling a little useless, and that wasn't something she was used to feeling.  
  
Alanna, now outfitted in light padded armor, started to head outside to the training yard. She always felt better after bashing the heads off a few straw dummies, and who knew, maybe something exciting would happen.  
  
Did you like it? Please say you did! I will update sooner if I get some reviews! Btw, this is my first fic so I'm all for some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Ok? Thanks tons and bunches!  
  
Love, cwfanatic 


	2. Jonathan and Thayet

Disclaimer: I STILL don't own anything. but I'm working on it. Hahaha  
  
Back in the palace at Corus, King Jonathan was frantic. "Why is Alanna taking "time off" now? She never needed to before!"  
  
"Maybe she's tired," Thayet reasoned as she read through the letters that they had been receiving.  
  
"Sorry," Jonathan smiled, "I guess I never really noticed how much she does around here. I mean, without Alanna we have been having twice the number of incidents involving the King's Own. Raoul thought he was in charge of the Own, but apparently Alanna has been doing more than her fair share. Also, Numair said that there has been a large amount of immortal activity in the Northern forests."  
  
"That could be a real problem," Thayet looked up from her paper, "If the more violent immortals get wind that the Lioness is out of commission, then they might decide that this would be a good time to attack. And you know that everyone is trying to recuperate after that infernal Scanran war."  
  
"It's funny, when I was a little boy a had no idea that the post of Champion existed. My father was Roald the peacemaker. But since he . died. we have just had one battle after another and I can't imagine what I would do without the Lioness backing up my word with her sword."  
  
Thayet smiled, but he was frowning on the inside, the land was seriously weakened without Alanna. She knew that names were important, and Alanna's name was known all the world over. So was Thayet's, but she wasn't thinking of that now. Besides, would the knowledge that the "most beautiful woman in the world" was residing in Tortall stop invasion? She didn't think so.  
  
"Why don't you ask Alanna to come back, if you're so worried?" Thayet asked gently.  
  
"Because that would be like begging, and a king doesn't do that."  
  
Thayet glared at him.  
  
Jonathan sighed, "Also it would be admitting that Alanna is right, and I don't do that either." He sighed and stared out the window hoping that Alanna's vacation was mercifully short.  
  
A/N: Well, second chapter is up! What do you think? Is the story moving along well enough? Review and let me know!  
  
Love, cwfanatic 


	3. The Village

Disclaimer: If I ever actually own anything then I'll let you know ;-) until then there's no reason for you to sue! Thanx!  
  
A/N I love reviewers! Reviewers rock! All those people who read and don't review, take heed, reviewers will always be cooler than just readers. So review. pleeeeeeeease??  
  
Alanna was watching the road towards her home rather wistfully. Nobody had been by all day, and she was bored. Of course, people may have assumed that no one was home. Usually either her husbands flag or her flag was gently swaying in the breeze. But now there were no flags up. This was due to George not being home and Alanna's vacation being a secret.  
  
Alanna sighed and desperately wished that something. anything would happen. She didn't have to wait much longer, because just then what looked like an entire village on horseback galloped down the road. Alanna gasped. it was the village! Something must be wrong, they never took shelter in the castle unless there was a real emergency.  
  
She raced down to the gate to lower the drawbridge (A/N I dunno if Pirate's Swoop had a drawbridge, but if they didn't then they should have) the village was almost at the castle by then. As the people flooded the courtyard Alanna sought out the village leader. She knew who he was by the black charger he rode. Unlike the others who doubled up on mares and even livestock, he was atop a noble stallion.  
  
"Sir! What happened?" The petite redhead shouted up to him. The courtyard fell quiet and everyone's eyes followed Alanna as she moved toward the chief.  
  
"Lady Knight, our hunters were out checking their traps when one came across a nest of baby spidrens. It seems that we now have a second generation of immortals to worry about."  
  
Alanna ignored the magnitude of this problem for the practicalities, "Where was this found?"  
  
"Only about three miles away from town. We were worried about safety, so we all came here. Master Cooper has never denied us safe lodging." He looked at Alanna with more than a little hinting going on.  
  
"Of course you all are welcome as long as necessary. Why don't you go down to the emergency rooms and get settled. Do you have provisions?"  
  
"Yes, at least enough for a few days."  
  
"Fine, I'll make arrangements and meet with you later this evening." And with that Alanna turned on her heel and ran to her chamber. She wasn't going to call Jonathan about this. He would just tell her to let the Own handle it. She was going to do it herself.  
  
Kind of a cliff hanger, but I hoped you like the latest developments. Please review and let me know!  
  
Lots of love,  
  
cwfanatic 


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